Edinburgh - what to do?

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

Big Bren

New Member
Location
Yorkshire
I'm taking Mrs B on a surprise break to Edinburgh next week, to celebrate our wedding anniversary. I've booked a spiffy looking boutique hotel and have theatre tickets for the Sat night. So far so good.

Never having been north of the border though, I'm a bit stuck now; anyone care to suggest ways we can occupy ourselves in and around Edinburgh for one evening and a couple of days? (No smutty suggestions please - I don't need any help with that!)

Bren
 

longers

Legendary Member
Could you try and get my hat from the train station roof please? It's a grey one.

My mum and dad were very fond of walking up to Arthurs seat and it'd give you a good view of the city and surroundings. They usually took a bottle of wine to stop them getting too cold.

Parishioners from Edinburgh will have better suggestions but that's my tuppence worth.

And if it's peeing it down and grim the Sea-life centre at Queensferry is one of the best I've seen (if you like fishes and all that). The rays are very friendly.

It's a nice walk across the bridge too. IMHO.
 

KitsuneAndy

New Member
Location
Norwich
Big Bren said:
I'm taking Mrs B on a surprise break to Edinburgh next week, to celebrate our wedding anniversary. I've booked a spiffy looking boutique hotel and have theatre tickets for the Sat night. So far so good.

Never having been north of the border though, I'm a bit stuck now; anyone care to suggest ways we can occupy ourselves in and around Edinburgh for one evening and a couple of days? (No smutty suggestions please - I don't need any help with that!)

Bren

Castle? Zoo? Join in with the locals and drink the entire time you're there?
 

Noodley

Guest
Walk outside your hotel and you are "guaranteed" to find something. Seriously. Edinburgh is a great place to visit. No need to plan ahead unless you have particular "likes". Castle, Holyrood Palace, Royal Mile are all worth visiting if you are "into" that, as is the Museum across from Greyfriars (as in Greyfriars Bobby fame, which graveyeard is very run down). Loads of great restaurants, if you know where to go - just ask and you'll soon find out!
 

snorri

Legendary Member
Call in at the Tourist Office on Princes Street (near the Waverley Station*) you could pick up some leaflets and ideas. Open top bus tours start from near there, a good deal with running commentary.
Or wander along Princes Street, taking a climb to the top of the Scott Monument on the way, then into the Royal Scottish Academy for some art appreciation. Take a left up the Mound and on to the Lawnmarket turn right walking up towards the Castle Esplanade. Before going on to the esplanade consider a visit to the Camera Obscura, unless the visibility is poor. Admire the view from castle esplanade before visiting the castle wherein resides the National War Museum, and I seem to recall the Stone of Destiny(or is it??). A hike up Calton Hill is a little less energetic than Arthur's Seat but gives a good view. Other things, HMY Britannia at Ocean Terminal Leith, Dynamic Earth, the Scottish Parliament Building, Museums in Chambers Street.
You don't say how you will travel, It might be a bit of a novelty to take the train to Inverkeithing over the Forth Rail Bridge, and take the bus back, over the Forth Road Bridge.
Hope this gives you some ideas, and you enjoy yourselves.:blush:
*that reminds me, you might want to do some Trainspotting:biggrin:
 

kyuss

Veteran
Location
Edinburgh
I agree with Noodley, you don't really have to plan any outings in Edinburgh. If you are staying centrally (ie, close to Princes Street) then most things worth visiting are within walking distance. Just leave your hotel in the morning and hang around, you're guaranteed to find something interesting.

If art is your thing then we have some of the best galleries in the country. http://www.nationalgalleries.org/. All of them are worth visiting as is the Fruitmarket Gallery (depending what's on) and the National Museum of Scotland.

Don't bother with the trek up Arthur's Seat. It's too much of a slog and the views of the city are MUCH better from Calton Hill.

The Royal Mile is worth spending a day on, starting with a visit to the Castle and working you're way down through Camera Obscura and all the various cafe's, bars and historic close's, ending up at the Scottish Parliament Building and Holyrood Palace, maybe taking a tour on Mary King's Close along the way.

You're spoiled for choice when it comes to bars and restaurants as well, but if you're a carnivore I'd recommend you try and make it to McKirdy's for some of the best steak you will ever have or Monster Mash which serves fantastic sausage and mash.
 
I'd second the National Museum of Scotland suggestion. I'd give the Parliament building a miss unless you really want ammunition to throw at Architects. And watch out for the price of drinks late at night. Shoreditch rates apply.Take a brolly. And sensible shoes.
 

Christopher

Über Member
How about a Vaults tour? Cheap and apparently really creepy (and not fake creepy either, genuinely a disturbing place down there I hear). Well it's one way to earn an enormous drink...
 
Hi,
We did our joint stag/hen weekend (hag??) in Edinburgh, it was great. Some things we did (very touristy!) include the Tour bus - normally I wouldn't touch these but we had a discount for some reason, and it was really good.
The Castle is worth a look, Scottish crown jewels are in there, lots of shopping, LOTS of bars, Arthur's Seat (didn't go up there but wandered around a bit), Royal Mile, Princes Street. Have your photo taken with William Wallace in full battle woad (between you and me I don't think it's really him). Buy a CD of 'Donald Where's Your Troosers' from the shop outside the castle (you will know which one I mean). Ooh, whisky museum/centre! That was good. We did a ghost tour which was EXCELLENT, ask in the Tourist office.

Take a nice big coat, it's bl*ody freezing up there!
 

papercorn2000

Senior Member
Bin the whole Edinburgh thing and go to Glasgow instead. It's not full of tourists and there are better museums, art galleries, restaraunts and pubs.
 

purpleR

Guru
Location
Glasgow
For shopping, I'd give Princes' Street a miss and head to Stockbridge (where you can also walk along the Water of Leith (along to the Gallery of Modern Art and the Dean Gallery if that's your thing) or wander through the Dean Village (no shops but a picturesque part of the city)

The botanic gardens are nice, in the north of the city.

Another vote for a wander up Arthur's Seat or Salisbury Craggs (the cliffs next door to Arthur's Seat).

Don't go to the Tower Restaurant which is often recommended by guides. The food ranges from okay to inedible, it's hugely overpriced and the service is snotty. I've been a few times, this experience isn't based on a single visit. You have been warned... I've heard that the Secret Garden at the Witchery is the most romantic place for a meal - bloody expensive though. I prefer Jolly's Pizza on Leith Walk!

A bus ticket is £2.50 for a day, on all LRT buses ('cept the airport link) which is the handiest way to get around the city. Worth getting on the top of a double decker bus going up the Mound just for the view!
 

alecstilleyedye

nothing in moderation
Moderator
for a bit of outdoors, the royal botanic garden is a good afternoon spent relaxing (has a good café too), or south queensferry, with stunning views of the forth bridges, coastal walks and good places to eat/drink.
 
Top Bottom